For the Love of a Child
by waikiki23
Summary: Three years ago, Mike Stoker's world was turned upside down when his pregnant wife Beth was hurt.  Relive his journey through the pain and anguish as fate seemed to be against him, Beth and their unborn child.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This story has been nagging me for the past few days, and I just had to sit down and start writing it. Please read and let me know what you think. I do not own Emergency or the guys, but I sure as heck wish I did!**

He stood in the doorway, watching his wife rock their 3 year old son in the rocking chair. She was singing the Kenny Loggins song Return to Pooh Corner, trying to get their young son to sleep. A smile played on his lips as their son laid his little head on his mother's shoulder and slipped his arms around her neck.

He watched for a moment more before turning away, tears stinging his eyes. He thanked the Good Lord above that he had them both still on the earth with him. He had almost lost both of them when his wife was 8 months pregnant. It was the worst time in his life.

He sat down in his den, and began flipping through one of the many photo albums that was on the shelf. His mind began to wander back in time as he looked at the pictures.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

It had been a long day at the station, due to a structure fire, a couple MVA's and other rescues. Mike Stoker steered his truck homeward, yawning the whole way. He opened the windows and cranked the radio. The drive home was uneventful and he pulled into the driveway of his two-story house. He noticed that after his nap, he would have to mow the lawn.

He parked in the garage, grabbed his duffle bag and walked in the house. Beth met him at the door, taking his duffle, dropping it near the washing machine, then turning back to her husband. Mike was surprised, to say the least, when his wife kissed him passionately as she unbuttoned his shirt. Not that he minded. But his mind was going a mile a minute.

"Well, good morning to you too ,Honey," Mike said, smiling as he noticed for the first time his wife was wearing only her robe. He was definitely loving this welcome home.

"I thought you might need a little…relaxation," she replied, leading him to the living room. "I have some news for you."

Instantly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He was worried that something was wrong with the love of his life.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay. In fact, I'm more than okay." Beth took Mike's hands into hers, looked him in the eye before saying, "Mike honey, I'm pregnant."

It took a moment for the news to digest in his head. He looked at his wife for a moment before pulling her to him, hugging her tightly. "I'm gonna be a father!" he yelled excitedly. He stood up abruptly, pulling her with him and dancing around the living room. They continued for a good five minutes before Mike calmed down and sat next to his wife on the couch again.

"When did you find out?" he asked, holding her hand.

"Yesterday. I went to the doctor last week when I wasn't feeling good. It was morning sickness. The doctor says that I am 2 months along," Beth said, smiling brighter than Mike had ever seen.

"That is great news honey! I am so excited!" Mike exclaimed, hugging her again. They pulled apart for a moment before the two fell into each others embrace and kissed each other passionately again.

Mike and Beth spent the whole day together, their love deepened by the thought of the tiny life they had created together. They began making plans for the house, where the nursery would go, how they would need to baby lock certain areas of the house and other things. Mike had the next day off too, so he took advantage of the warm sunny day to mow the grass. Beth spent the day pouring over magazines, trying to get ideas for the nursery. Then, they went out to dinner to celebrate their special news.

They had not told anyone, not even their families. So, it was decided that Mike would tell the guys at the station on his next shift, and Beth would tell her workmates at the hospital at the same time. Their families deserved to hear first.

So, after Mike's shift, their families gathered for a BBQ, and were told the wonderful news. Beth's mother cried, along with Mike's mother. His dad pumped his hand, then hugged him tightly. Their brothers and sisters all were excited; the girls telling Beth they would be planning a baby shower and the boys promising Mike that they would help with the nursery when the time came. At the end of the day, they were happy to have the support of their families.

Mike and Beth both had to work the next day, so both left early for their shifts. As he drove, Mike was in 7th heaven. He had the love of a beautiful woman and now he was going to be a father. He played the drums on the steering wheel to the Bee Gees as he sang at the top of his voice.

He pulled into the station's lot and parked his truck, noticing that Cap was already parked in his usual spot. He grabbed his duffle bag and headed for the locker room. He was changing as Marco and Roy entered. He listened as Roy and Marco talked about their day off as Johnny flew into the room, throwing things into his locker and changing. Chet also flew in, mimicking Johnny's frenzied pace. Cap stuck his head in to announce, "Roll call gentleman."

A few curse words were thrown around as Mike left the room. He chuckled as he left, Johnny and Chet racing out the door right behind him. They filed in line as Cap walked around the squad. He began roll, passing out assignments. Just as Cap was about to finish, Mike raised his hand. "Cap, I'd like to say something if I could."

"Sure Mike, go ahead."

He turned to the guys, his friends. He took a deep breath before saying, "Guys, I have some great news that I just can't hold in any longer. Beth and I are going to have a baby."

He wasn't prepared for the rush of congratulations he received. They were patting him on the back and pumping his hands. "Alright, give the guy some room," Cap said, smiling as he managed to give Mike some breathing room.

"When did you find out?" Roy asked, leaning against the squad with Johnny.

"A couple of days ago. Beth told me when I got home from work. We already told our families and I wanted to tell my best friends."

"How far along is she?" Cap asked.

"The doctor told her she was about 2 months along. We'll know for sure in a month or so when she has her appointment. We are so excited. She has already been looking through magazines to get an idea for the baby's room," Mike replied, smiling broadly.

"Well, I'm happy for you amigo," Marco replied, patting Mike on his back again before heading to do his chores, the others echoing their agreement and following suit.

Mike stayed next to the engine for a moment, thankful for his wife, family and friends. He was reveling in the thought of being a father, a thought that filled him with pride and joy. He could not wait for his little baby to come along.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

He came back to the present, noticing that Beth had left their son's room, heading for the living room. He smiled, stopping on a picture of he and a very pregnant Beth with the guys from the station. He remembered when that picture had been taken. It was one of the last BBQs Beth had been able to attend before the baby came along. It was also one of the last happy times they had during her pregnancy before the living hell that had been his life began.


	2. Chapter 2

The day started out like any other. Beth was already up, close to 9 months pregnant and sleep didn't come easily to her any more. Mike stretched, yawning deep. He sat up and looked around at his and Beth's room. Small things had changed over the past few months. Mike had moved a rocking chair into the room, to help Beth at night when indigestion hit her. A small overnight bag was sitting near their dresser, packed and ready to go when Beth went into labor. Other small baby items had made their way to their dresser as well.

What used to be Beth's sewing room had been turned into the nursery. As promised, Mike and Beth's brothers pitched in a weekend and helped Mike change the room into a beautiful little nursery for their child. His and Beth's sisters had gone shopping and helped to begin to stock the little room, the room waiting for a tiny life that would soon live there.

Mike stretched again and stood up. He walked down the hallway and down the stairs to the living room. There he could smell coffee brewing and eggs and bacon frying. He entered the kitchen, his wife turned away from him cooking breakfast.

He walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek. She giggled before turning around for a real kiss. "Good morning!"

"Morning to you too. How is my beautiful wife this morning?" he asked, releasing her and sitting down at the table.

"I am doing fine and our little one is doing fine too," she replied, pouring a cup of coffee for her husband and rubbing her belly. She served him his breakfast and sat down to eat with him.

"I'm so glad. So what are you going to do while I'm at work today?" he asked, stuffing some eggs into his mouth.

"I think Dawn and I are going shopping. Mom and mine and your sisters were all busy today, so Dawn offered to take me wherever I wanted to go."

"That was sweet of her. Well, I hope you two have fun," Mike said, wolfing down the remaining bits of eggs and bacon before standing and kissing the top of his wife's head as he put the plate in the sink. "Breakfast was great, thank you."

"You're welcome honey. Now you'd better go change so you can head to work," she replied, playfully slapping her husband's backside. She slowly stood as he raced up the stairs and turned to the sink. She had the dishes washed and put away just as Mike came down the stairs, ready to head to work.

Beth dried her hands before giving her man a hug and kiss goodbye. They both said, "I love you," at the same moment. The held each other for a moment longer before Mike pulled away, heading to the garage. Beth watched him leave, their kiss lingering on her lips. She had a feeling something was going to happen, and just couldn't shake the feeling. She turned and headed upstairs to get ready for her day of shopping.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Mike was waxing his other baby, Big Red, and thinking to himself, like he always did. He sensed something in Beth's kiss that morning, something he would remember for the next few months. He loved when they lingered like that in a kiss. But this morning was different, as if she was hanging on for a different reason, one that he could not put his finger on.

He didn't have any more time to think as the klaxons blared in the quiet station house.

"Station 51, Station 110, Station 8, Battalion 14. Freeway pileup, on the 405, starting at mile 6 at the Long Beach Boulevard exit. Mile 6 on the 405 freeway. Time out 10:54."

Mike heard Cap say "Station 51 10-4 KMG 365," as he jumped into the cab of the engine, pulling his coat on then turning the engine on. He saw the guys run from the day room to the jump seats on the engine and Johnny and Roy sliding into the squad. Cap completed the group and looked at Mike as he closed the door.

"Let's do this Mike," he said, pulling his coat on as the squad pulled out first, Mike following after, sirens blaring and lights flashing.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

The station was the first to reach what was going to prove to be a hard scene to work on. It was to be one that would be fresh on their minds for months to come.

The squad stopped behind a police cruiser that was trying to keep the traffic blocked off. Mike stopped the engine behind the squad. Everyone jumped out of the vehicles and raced for the closest officer standing to them, who just happened to be Scotty, and officer they all knew. Cap immediately took charge of the situation.

"What can you tell us Scotty?"

"Just that there is at least 20 or 25 vehicles involved." He paused for a moment before saying, "And its pretty bad in the middle of the wreckage. Vince is in the middle with Steven and Daniel. A couple other officers are scattered around at the front of the wreck too." Mike noticed that Scotty looked a little green and realized that it was going to be bad. Thank God they had 2 other stations coming in.

By this time, Johnny and Roy had their gear, with Chet and Marco helping. Cap patted Scotty on the shoulder before saying, "Okay, lets start our way in boys."

Mike followed his captain and the others as they began walking into the proverbial depths of hell. The carnage around him was overwhelming, so much so that he never heard Cap call in for more manpower.

Some victims were walking around aimlessly, a blank look in their eyes, the horror of what they had seen showing plainly on their face. Johnny and Roy were treating them and sending them towards the area where they had left the engine to talk to the police then be sent to the hospital to be checked over. Some were still trapped in their cars, fear written in their eyes. Johnny and Roy split up, Johnny taking Chet and Cap with him. Roy moved on and had Mike and Marco work with him.

As they moved further in, Mike saw what Scotty was talking about. The amount of carnage was overwhelming, even to the veteran firefighters. The wreckage was so severe Mike wasn't sure anyone was even alive. Cars were crushed, a semi overturned on at least 3 vehicles, his load of massive machine parts taking out at least another 4 or 5 cars. The lack of human voices other than the rescue workers was very disconcerting and eerie.

Mike was doing all he could, searching for any one that was alive. So far, he, Marco and Roy had not found any survivors. Mike leaned into a small green Toyota that had two people in it and felt for the driver's pulse. He was so shocked when he did feel one, he had to stop for a moment. Then he yelled to the others.

"Hey Roy! I have one over here!"

Roy and Marco ran over, Roy taking over the scene. "Marco, we need to pop the door open. It looks like she is pinned in pretty tight. Mike could you check the passenger?"

"Sure," he replied, jogging over to the other side as Roy and Marco began prying the driver's door open. Mike leaned in, noticing the passenger was a woman as well, and she looked pregnant. He took a step back as the nauseating thought hit him that the woman looked a lot like Beth.

Roy looked up to see Mike backing away from the car, his face void of all color. "Mike, what is it?"

When Mike didn't answer, Marco looked at Roy, "What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know Marco, but I'm going to check if you don't mind to keep prying on the door."

"No, go ahead amigo," Marco said.

Roy walked over to Mike, who was still staring at the passenger side of the car, his face still white as a sheet. He looked in at the victim and audibly gasped himself. In a split second, he had pulled Mike away and was calling for Marco. Marco dropped his pry bar to help Roy guide Mike away from the vehicle. He looked over at Roy and raised his eyebrows. Before they could get too far away, Mike let out a cry of anguish and collapsed in Roy and Marco's grip.

"Dios Mio! What happened Roy?" Marco asked as he and Roy laid a now unconscious Mike on the ground.

As he pulled out his handi-talki, he looked over at the vehicle they were working on and back to Marco. "Beth is in the car."

_I know, I know, I'm leaving you in a cliff hanger. But I promise to update soon. To the ones who reviewed to tell me that they didn't like the underlining and all that stuff that happened when I posted the first chapter. I don't know why my processor does that, but I will try to know let that happen again. Thanks for all the reviews! Please let me know what you think so far!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I am glad you are liking it so far. Please keep reading and reviewing, as it fuels my writing. **

Meanwhile, Johnny, Chet and Cap had found some survivors and were working on getting them packaged up for transport. The call for extra manpower had brought in a couple extra squads. This helped in the rescue efforts greatly. With all the extra paramedics, they were able to help many of the survivors clear the wreckage.

They were currently working on a young mother and her 5 year old daughter who had just been extricated from their small car. Johnny was inserting IV's, Chet was helping to splint the broken bones, and Cap was finishing getting vitals on the mother and young child. They were almost ready to turn them over to the paramedics that were helping take the injured out of the area. Just as he handed Johnny the numbers, his handi-talki came to life.

"Fireman DeSoto to Captain Stanley, come in Cap."

Cap pulled his handi-talki out and pressed the button. "This is Cap, what's going on Roy?"

"Cap, we need you guys and fast! Mike's wife Beth is in the car we just found."

This revelation from the radio caused Johnny and Chet to look up at their commander, their faces registering surprise. They could not believe what they had just heard.

"How's Mike?"

"He passed out on us. That's why we need you. There is another injured female in the car with Beth. Its pretty serious."

"10-4, we'll be there in a minute or two. We have 2 victims we are turning over."

"Thanks Cap." Cap shoved the radio back into this pocket as two paramedics came into view to help with the victims.

As soon as Johnny turned them over, the 3 of them ran for the area where Roy was. They made it in just a minute or two. Seeing the green Toyota smashed against a black pickup truck was unsettling to the three.

"Is he okay?" Cap asked Roy, pointing to the unconscious engineer. Johnny ran to the car, Chet and Marco behind him.

"Yeah, he is just passed out. Could you stay with him Cap while Johnny and I check Beth and her friend?"

"That's fine, go. I'll keep an eye on him."

Roy silently thanked his Captain and headed for the car. Roy reached Dawn's side of the car, as Johnny was on Beth's side. He checked her pulse and pupil reaction before he began feeling her extremities for injuries. He counted at least 5 broken bones, with a possibility of more. Her head was bleeding from a cut right above her eye and she had a gash in her left arm.

"Chet, I need a cervical collar 2 splints and a back board over here," Roy said, working on cutting Dawn's seatbelt off of her. Chet returned a moment later with the requested item. Roy placed the collar on her, being as careful as he could to not move her head. Then he put the splints on her leg and arm. He looked over to see Johnny working on Beth and knew he could not leave her side.

"Chet, Marco, I need your help. We need to slide her out of the car carefully onto the backboard."

Chet moved in beside Roy as Marco lifted the backboard. Roy and Chet maneuvered Dawn onto the board, Roy securing her and Marco and Chet carried her away from the wreckage. He began to apply dressings to her cuts and getting her vitals.

Meanwhile, Johnny was one worried guy as he was checking Beth. She had not moved, not even a sound as he was checking her over. The fact that she was almost 9 months pregnant, and pinned under the dash had Johnny nervous enough to chew his nails.

He noticed first that she had a deep gash above her right eye, starting from her hairline and reaching her right temple. The whole side of her face was showing signs of bruising, especially under her eye. He checked her arms and legs, finding breaks in her legs and right arm. She was also showing signs of a punctured lung, as she was starting to breath rapidly.

"Marco, can you get me a cervical collar, 3 splints and a backboard?"

"Sure mi amigo. How is she?"

Johnny paused then looked back at the lineman, "Not too well. We also need the Jaws too to get the dash off of her."

Marco began praying in Spanish under his breath as he retrieved the items Johnny requested. He returned as quickly as he could with the necessary items, Chet trailing behind with the Jaws.

Johnny carefully put the collar on Beth, trying not to move her too much. He splinted all he could then Chet hooked up the Jaws. The machine started, the noise deafening as the sound of groaning metal was heard. The dash was pulled up effortlessly with the Jaws. "That's good Chet!" Johnny signaled when he saw there was enough room to get Beth out. Chet shut the machine down, unhooking it from the car.

Johnny and Marco began to maneuver Beth on to the backboard and Chet held it in place. They slid her onto the board, Johnny securing her, and then Chet and Marco carried her over to where Dawn was being checked.

Cap watched as his two paramedics began to check Beth and Dawn. He looked down to and noticed that Mike was beginning to stir.

"Shh, Mike, its okay," he said, patting his engineer on the shoulder.

"Beth, Beth, oh no, Beth," Mike moaned, barely above a whisper. His head began to move restlessly side to side as he began to regain consciousness.

"Mike, its okay, its going to be okay," Cap said as Mike's eyes began to flutter open. Wild terror filled the engineer's eyes, touching Cap to the core. He could not imagine how Mike was feeling at the moment.

Immediately, the engineer began to try to sit up, but strong hands held him down. "Mike, you need to lie still for a few moments."

Mike could not understand what was going on. All he knew was that he needed to get to Beth. He looked up to Cap. "Where is she?"

Cap took a deep breath in before pointing to where Johnny and Roy were working. "She's over there, but you need to stay here. Johnny and Roy are working on her and her friend right now. We need you to stay over here. I promise they will keep you updated on your wife."

Mike acquiesced, knowing there was nothing he could do at the moment. All he could do was watch as Johnny was working on his wife, his soul-mate, his best friend.

Johnny was glad that Cap was keeping Mike away. He did not need to see his wife in the condition she was in at the moment. He had her broken bones splinted and he had cleaned the gash on her head and had wrapped it up. He had checked her pupils again, noticing that they were unequal and not responding to light. He was definitely worried about that.

Roy was already finished with Dawn, having been on the biophone with Rampart while Johnny had extricated Beth from the wreckage. Roy got the vitals on Beth while Johnny began to check on her abdomen. As soon as he had the vitals, Roy got back on the biophone.

"Rampart, this is Squad 51 again, come in."

"_This is Rampart, go ahead 51," _Dr. Kelly Brackett's voice came back over the tiny speaker.

"Rampart, we have a 28 year old female involved in a car accident. She has a contusion under her right eye extending to her ear. She has a deep laceration extending from her hair line, over her right eye and to her right temple. Her pupils are unequal and not responding to light. She is diaphoretic, her breathing is labored, possible broken ribs, possible punctured lung. She has multiple fractures of her legs and of her right arm. Rampart, she is also in her third trimester. Her vitals are BP 94/67, pulse is 114 and respirations are 32. Be advised the victim is Fireman Mike Stoker's wife."

"_Okay 51, have your checked to see if the baby is still moving?"_

"10-4 Rampart. Could not detect fetal movements or heartbeat."

There was a pause on the other line. _"51, start an IV Ringers Lactate. Immobilize fractures, implement spinal precautions, and put her on 6 liters of O2. Watch breath sounds, as her lung may collapse in transport. Keep checking vitals and transport immediately."_

"_**10-4 Rampart," Roy replied as Johnny started the IV on Beth. Both men had noticed Mike sitting up and watching them as they treated his wife. When they were ready to move, Johnny went over to him.**_

"_**How is she Johnny?" Mike asked.**_

"_**I won't lie to you, she has quite a few injuries. We are going to watch her closely on the way in, as she could have a punctured lung and it could collapse during the ride. She has quite a few fractures, and she has bruising to the right side of her head and a deep cut above her right eye."**_

"_**You're not telling me something. I can tell it," Mike said, standing and looking Johnny straight in the eye.**_

_**Johnny's eyes darted downward as he said, "We can't hear the baby's heart beat."**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to all who read and reviewed so far. I am so sorry I have not been able to get an update until now. My grandfather is still in the hospital for the second week in a row after having an extensive stroke. He is doing better now; thankfully it only affected his speech and not his motor skills. So, now I am able to catch up on writing new chapters andd updating my stories. Please read and review! I appreciate it so much!**

The ride to the hospital was fairly quiet. Mike was sitting in the jump seat, his eyes not leaving his unconscious wife. He was so worried about her, especially after Johnny had told him that they could not hear the baby's heartbeat. He had almost passed out at the thought of losing both his wife and their child.

Moisture filled his eyes and spilled over as the thoughts raced through his mind and tore at his heart.

"Hang in there baby," Mike whispered.

Johnny looked over at the obviously distressed engineer, hearing his whispered plea to his wife and unborn child. Cap had steered the unsteady engineer in the ambulance with Beth and him, his look an unspoken command that the engineer be taken care of. Johnny was worried about Beth and the fact that she had not woken up yet, not even stirring once. That, and the fact that she had been pinned under the dash were working against her. But he was also concerned about Mike. The poor man had found his injured, pregnant wife, still trapped in the car. Mike passing out was a testament to how much stress he was under.

Johnny had just finished checking Beth's vitals when the ambulance backed into the emergency entrance. He looked up when the doors opened, revealing Dr. Early and Dixie. The attendants pulled out Beth's gurney out of the ambulance. When Mike didn't move, Johnny glanced over. Mike had his face covered, sobs racking him.

Johnny glanced over to Dixie, who had climbed in as Johnny was climbing out to go with Beth. Dixie nodded and Johnny followed Dr. Early to the treatment room with Beth. Dixie kneeled in front of the distraught man and placed a hand on his.

"Mike?" she asked gently.

He looked up, noticing for the first time that the ambulance was empty and only Dixie was in front of him. He wiped away the tears, standing quickly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that everyone was gone."

"Mike, its okay. Looking at what your going through, its understandable. Look, why don't you come with me? Johnny and Joe are with Beth, so she's in really good hands," Dixie said, helping the distressed engineer out of the ambulance and into the hospital.

"Okay," Mike said simply. He let the head nurse of the emergency lead him down the hallway. She guided him into the doctor's lounge, helping him to the couch. Before he could say anything, Dixie had pressed a hot cup of coffee into his hands.

"I'll be back to check on you in a little bit, okay Mike?" Dixie asked, looking at him.

"Okay." She saw the normally steady hands begin to shake as the sobs racked his body again. The cup fell to the ground, shattering into a million pieces, the coffee spreading on the ground into some grotesque picture. Dixie saw the warning signs as she grabbed the nearest trash can and raced to Mike's side. She sat with him as he emptied the contents of his stomach.

After he was finished, Dixie got him a cool, clean wash cloth to wipe his mouth. He looked over at the nurse as she cleaned up the coffee on the floor and the pieces of the cup.

"Thank you Dixie. I'm sorry about the mess," he said quietly.

"Its okay Mike. Everything just caught up with you. Its only natural. Look, I'll go check on Beth and come and let you know what I find out, but you have to promise to stay here and relax okay? Deal?"

"Deal," Mike replied, leaning back and closing his eyes. Dixie smiled sadly at the exhausted man as she left the room to keep her part of the deal.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Dixie entered treatment room 3 where Joe was checking Beth over. Johnny was setting the IV up and getting Beth hooked up to the oxygen. She noticed that Beth had a chest tube already in place, yet her coloring was still very pale. She began taking a fresh set of vitals for Joe as he was checking Mike and Beth's baby as Johnny stood back out of the way.

"Joe, her BP is 98/74, pulse is 108 and respirations are 20. How is she?"

"Not too good. We have not been able to detect a fetal heartbeat. I'm worried about the baby. We may have to do a caesarean section in the next half hour or so. Plus, she has multiple breaks in her legs and in her right arm. And its possible she has a depressed skull fracture. But, we can't do x-rays until we determine what we need to do to save the baby," Joe replied, pulling the stethoscope out of his ears.

Kel Brackett walked into the room, hearing the last part of Joe's comment. "Have you been able to detect a heartbeat yet Joe?"

"No. It may be fetal hypoxia. We need to schedule her in for a caesarean quickly if we are going to save the baby," Joe replied, looking over at his colleague.

"I'll call Kevin Tess in OB and get her in for an emergency caesarean," Kel said, going to the phone and calling the specialist.

"Also, we need to have x-ray standing by once the baby is removed, so we can began treating Beth," Joe said.

"I'll take care of that too Joe," Kel said, dialing.

Dixie glanced over at Joe and said, "Mike is in the lounge waiting Joe."

Joe scrubbed a hand over his face as he said, "I'll go talk to him Dix."

"I'll go sit with him now. I'd say Roy is there already," Johnny said, leaving the room. Kel walked over as soon as Johnny had left.

"What did they say Kel?"

"Kevin wants her brought up in 10 minutes. Plus, x-ray and an OR is on standby."

"Alright, Dix, can you get her ready to move while Kel and I go and talk to Mike?" Joe asked, looking at the head nurse.

"Sure Joe," Dixie replied, beginning her task.

The two men left the treatment room and headed to the lounge. When they entered, their emotions overtook them slightly. Roy and Johnny were sitting on either side of Mike. The poor man had his head in his hands, his body shaking, tears spilling out of his eyes and pooling the floor below. Both John and Roy had a comforting hand on the engineer's back, trying to console him. The two medics looked up when the doctor's entered the room.

"Mike?" Joe asked, sitting in front of the engineer.

Mike looked up, wiping the tears away. "How is she doc?"

"We are getting ready to take her upstairs to do an emergency caesarean section. We believe that the baby may be experiencing fetal hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen getting to the baby. It slows and eventually stops the baby's heartbeat."

"Will the baby be okay doc?"

"We won't know until we can deliver the baby. But that also means we cannot start treatment on Beth at the moment," Joe said, not sure how Mike was going to take this part.

Mike looked incrudiously at the doctor, his voice raising as he asked, "Why? Why can't you treat her yet?"

"That is because we cannot do x-rays on a woman who is pregnant. The x-rays can harm the baby further. We have x-ray on standby so that after we are finished delivering your baby, we can treat your wife. Mike, we are sure she has broken her legs and at least her right arm. We already put a chest tube in to relieve the pressure in her chest and help re-inflate her lung that collapsed. Also, its possible she has a depressed skull fracture. But we will not be sure until we take the x-rays. We need to have your verbal consent to treat Beth and your baby."

"Yes, yes, please take care of her. Can I see her before you do the caesarean?" Mike asked.

"Yes, but it can only be for a couple of minutes. Why don't you come with us, okay?" Joe asked, standing. Mike followed the two doctors out of the room. Johnny and Roy opted to stay in the lounge and wait on their friend.

Mike entered the treatment room and walked over to his wife. He began stroking her chestnut hair, talking to her softly.

"I love you baby. Don't ever forget that. We'll get through this some how. If you don't make it, you know I will do everything in my power to take care of our baby. You have to pull through honey. Please don't leave me," Mike cried softly, resting his head on his wife's forehead, the tears once again spilling out of his eyes.

The door opened, revealing Johnny and Roy. They walked in and gave their friend another moment before they reached his side. "Mike, we have to go. They're coming to get her," Roy said softly.

Mike planted a light kiss on his wife's forehead before letting Johnny and Roy lead him out of the room. Mike prayed it would not be the last time he would see his wife alive. The three went back to the lounge to wait.


End file.
